Is there algorithms and data structures for humans to manage physical objects, or researches on this topic? For example, a sorting algorithm for a human to sort a pile of books or papers, or a structure for someone to manage a large bookshelf so that they can find a book quickly given its name.
Obviously, human algorithms should be designed with different assumptions than computer algorithms. Humans can insert objects into an array in near constant time, don't have constant time random access, and physical objects can't be copied, etc. These assumptions change the properties of existing algorithms, and may raise new algorithms into view under these new assumptions. But exactly how? What term should I start searching with?
This question originally came out when I collected and hand-sorted hundreds of exam papers as a TA.
